A federal judge has raised questions about the impacts of the city's rail project would affect a park now on the National Register of Historic places.

During the day  Mother Waldron Park  is a playground for charter school students, but it is also home to illegal campers.

A rendering of  the area includes proposed guideway columns and the train running overhead.  It is how the city envisions the area since the rail route runs on Halekauwila.

Plans for rail and the vertical development around it dovetail into Kakaako's masterplan for affordable housing, along with luxury condos.

"We are going to see a lot of development in the next 20 years in that corridor. Hopefully if we do it the right way, this is going to be alot closer to where the second city is, closer to downtown," said Rep. Tom Brower who represents Kakaako and Ala Moana.

The state is proposing to develop what will be the tallest highrise, Pohukaina 690 right next to Mother Waldron Park.

The Hawaii Community Development Authority, the agency that oversees the area says the development still makes sense, with, or without rail.

Some believe it’s unlikely the route would change to go more mauka to Beretania Street.

"I personally would like it.  I live here on Beretania.  I would use it.  It would be easier for me to use rail if it were on Beretania," said Rep. Karl Rhoades.

PHOTOS: Who is Mother Waldron?

SHOW THUMBNAILS

Previous

Next